Harry Potter and the Torch of Flames
by Tim the Wiz
Summary: Harry's 6th year at Hogwarts begins... R
1. Chapter Three: OWLs and more owls

In a still warm Privet Drive in the heart of Surrey, Wales at the end of another day. It was dusk and it had been one of the cooler days that summer. ("Finally that - blasted - weather man got something right!" Uncle Vernon had said so loud that one of Mrs Figg's cats had broken into fast run under Harry's window.)  
  
All the neighbours and even the Dursleys had gotten out of the pools in their backyard. The Dursleys had decided to get a pool because of the intense heat of the last summer. Although Dudley wanting a pool had probably attributed to the need of the pool. But it was fun for Harry to watch Dudley try and get in and out of the swimming pool.  
  
Harry, Harry Potter was probably the most isolated person in the whole of Wales apart from maybe Sirius. Sirius, he told himself, is dead. His godfather Sirius Black, the so-called right hand man to Lord Voldemort due to one of his old friends - he paused at this with disgust - Wormtail, one of Lord Voldemort's Death Eaters. Then murded by one of Voldemort's other Death Eater's, Bellatrix Lestrange.  
  
You see Harry Potter isn't a normal boy. Far from it. He was a wizard, who's parents Lily and James Potter, had been murded by one of the most evil wizard of all time, Lord Voldemort. He had then spent the first 10 years of his life being told his parent's were killed in a car crash by his mean foster parents the Dursleys. He's Uncle Vernon had married his Aunt Petunia (his mother's sister) and they had had a son, Dudley.  
  
Harry absent mindly flicked through a book called Advanced Potions Help by Oranda Welshim remembering his past. When he had been 11 years old Hagrid had told him that he was a wizard and he had then gone to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry each year since, only coming back to No. 4 Privet Drive each year to be with his implorable muggle relatives the Dursleys.  
  
But last year it had gone all wrong, Sirius the last person he had left, died. He's father and mother, and now Sirius. Harry was sad, sadder than he ever had. He spent all his time buried in books like Hermione would at Hogwarts. Only going out of his room to use the toilet, shower and eat.  
  
Harry looked out the window. It was dark now and the moon and stars were out shining. He looked at Hedwig's cage wich was empty. Then looked back out the window to see Hedwig and several other owls soaring straight at his half open window. He quickly opened the window before the owls came in.  
  
When all the owls arrived he saw Hedwig and Pig. He took the letters quickly off them and placed them in Hedwig's cage. He then took a letter off from a shabby looking owl which looked almost as bad as Errol, the Weasley's owl which was saying something. He then took two letters from a Hogwarts owl and one letter from an official looking owl.  
  
He opened the letter from the latter owl. It said:  
  
Dear Mr Potter, Following your Ordinary Wizard Level testing, we have now drafted your results. Your results are as follows ...  
  
Charms: E  
  
Transfiguration: E  
  
Herbology: E  
  
DADA: O  
  
Care of Magical Creatures: E  
  
Divination: T  
  
Astronomy: A  
  
History of Magic: P  
  
Potions: E/O  
  
O - Outstanding  
  
E - Excedes Exemption  
  
A - Acceptable  
  
P - Poor  
  
T - Terrible  
  
Yours Sincereley,  
  
Head of the Wizarding Examinations Authority,  
  
Griselda Marchbanks  
  
Harry couldn't believe it. He had some how managed to pass Potions with an in-between Exceeds Exemtion and Outstanding. Whether he would be going back to Snape's cold hard dungeon again would be a mystery to him.  
  
It stopped being a mystery to Harry as soon as he opened his Hogwarts letter...  
  
Very Short; I know ;) It'll get longer, don't worry 


	2. Chapter Two: Mark Evans

Chapter Two: Mark Evans  
  
When Harry had came back from lastest year of school, the Dursleys had took it upon themselves to completely ignore Harry. It seemed that they had taken "Mad Eye" Moody's warning of any more mistreatment of Harry.  
  
So when Harry the next morning sat down on the table, the only sign they gave that he even existed was when his Aunt Petunia gave him his breakfast.  
  
Dudley's weight trouble had seemed to have gone away, he's practice of boxing every day had taken down his weight and toned up his muscles. So the food situation was a better now. He picked up his fork and started eating his bacon and eggs.  
  
"So son, how are you feeling for this afternoon," said Uncle Vernon. "Ready to knock 'em dead this afternoon at 2pm! You'll have the Brittish Amateur Schoolboy title in no time!"  
  
"You're right, Dad," a now enthusiastic Dudley said. "He'll be out in the first round! K.O.!"  
  
"Too right he will, lad," said a happy Vernon. "You're the finest example of how good our young blood are doing in the noble sport!"  
  
"Dad, do you know what K.O. means?," a confused Dudley asked. "They always say that when I knock out someone."  
  
This is too much, Harry thought to himself. He is a pig on standing on two hind legs.  
  
"It means what you just said, Kno-ck Ou-t ... K.O. ... Knock Out," said Harry unable to resist. "I thought as much, if you can have a pig's tail, you can have a pig's brain."  
  
"Boy, I will not tolerate this kind of behav-," Uncle Vernon started to shout.  
  
"Do you know I actually saved his life," shouted a now angry Harry pointing at Dudley. "For what?! For him to invent a cure that will kill half the country when he doesn't even know what K.O. means?!"  
  
With that went to his room, slamming the door behind him. He could now visualise himself throttling Uncle Vernon's head.  
  
He knew why he was so angry - Sirius.  
  
No, don't think about him, Harry thought to himself.  
  
He needed to go outside to clear his thoughts. Harry over the holidays had learnt that the Dursley's did not like the idea of Harry going outside, since last years Dementor attack.  
  
So Harry not wanting another argument, had positioned a trampoline outside his window to jump on so he could go outside. When he was outside he walked to the same park he had a year ago, but this time there were no Dementors too attack him.  
  
He found a comfortable swing to sit in and he looked out onto the park. He was thinking about Sirius when he heard someone shouting, "Dudley, no!"  
  
The park Harry had come to which he had remembered as full of laughing happy children was now deserted primarily because of Dudley's gang finding people to harass - violently. The park was now marked as Dudley's area, and no kid stupid enough ever came around this area.  
  
Although a few had chanced it recently because of Dudley's gang having a fight with a neighboring gang. But to Harry's dismay and to most of the other children in the neighborhood Dudley's gang had won and now had control of two neighborhoods.  
  
Harry leapt off the swing and ran to the source of the shouting. He found a scene where Dudley was about to punch a neighborhood boy called Mark Evans.  
  
Harry was wondering why the name was so vaguely familiar when Dudley shouted at him.  
  
"Push off, Potter!"  
  
Harry started chuckling walked straight to Dudley and said, "Put him down, or I'll use my you-know-what"  
  
Dudley now staring daggers at Harry said, "Your school would expel you!"  
  
"Wanna find out?" Harry answered back. "Lets have a little fight, or are you to chicken, Big D?"  
  
Harry had taken out his wand, pointed at Mark and said, "Accio Mark Evans!"  
  
Mark came immediately towards him and landed on his back next to Harry.  
  
Harry then cast another spell, this time on Dudley, "Foggify!"  
  
Harry had been waiting years to use magic on Dudley and now he could, seeing as the Decree of Underage magic had been lifted for 16 year olds.  
  
"I can't see! I can't see!," Dudley screamed and raced at top speed back to his house, "Wait until Mummy and Daddy find out!"  
  
That was an experience he wasn't looking forward to.  
  
Mark Evans. Evans. Lily Evans!  
  
Of course, why hadn't he seen it! He was related to his mother!  
  
Where was he?!  
  
Mark Evans had run away at the first chance he had had.  
  
Then a thought struck Harry, he had performed magic infront of a muggle! Suppose he wasn't a relative of his and the name was a coincidence! He was in major trouble!  
  
He glanced at the new watch Lupin had gave him, it was five to two in the afternoon. The Weasleys would be at the Dursley's house in five minutes! He had to hurry!  
  
Harry got to the driveway where a shiny new red Ferrari was parked. Fred and George have really hit the jackpot! Harry thought to himself.  
  
When Harry went through the front door he found Ron, the twins Fred and George and Mr Weasley all standing with the Dursleys waiting for Harry.  
  
"Well there you are! We were waiting for you Harry!," said Mr Weasley. "We've got all your things packed in the Farrary. All you've got to do is say good bye."  
  
"Bye!" said Harry.  
  
And 5 minutes later he was going back at the Burrow! 


	3. Chapter Three: Back to the Burrow Again

CHAPTER 3: BACK TO THE BURROW AGAIN  
  
"Well, Harry how was your summer?" said Ron.  
  
"Quite good, actually," smiled Harry. "The fact that I could do magic on Dudley helped a bit."  
  
"Ah, we thought so too," said Fred.  
  
"Nothing better than teaching a naughty muggle a lesson," said George who was driving the car.  
  
"Watch out Fred or you'll crash into the steeple of that church!" shouted Fred.  
  
George did a huge swerve. Making a swerve in the air was usually smooth but this time there was a bit of turbulence. Causing Ron to turn a deep shade of green and for Fred to release a huge whoop of adrenaline.  
  
After a few minutes of silence Ron spoke. "So Fudge has actually done something good," Ron smirked. "Lowering the age for the restriction of using magic law."  
  
"Well its a first," Fred said.  
  
"Usually he has the brain power of a pile of dung," said George.  
  
At this everyone in the car broke out laughing.  
  
"Now come on boys lets talk about something else," Mr. Weasley said still red with laughter.  
  
"Yeah how about where you got the car Fred and George?" Harry asked.  
  
"Well Mundungus gave us a good deal, 50 galleons for the car," Fred replied. "Its supposed to be one of the best Muggle cars and we gave it a few touches here and there."  
  
"You shouldn't be spending your money so wastefully," George said in an uncannily good mimmic of his mother.  
  
"But when I explained how we're in the Order and that it could be used for special things when someone needed to travel around in the Muggle world," Fred continued. "She completely ignored the latter part of what I said and started saying me and George were to young to be in the Order. She recommended that we leave the Order at once."  
  
"I can't believe I'm saying this but I think mum's more angry than usual!" Ron exclaimed.  
  
"Well its because of - well the world's biggest git," George said.  
  
"Don't even talk about him!" Fred said angrily.  
  
Ron mouthed that he'd explain later when he saw Harry's confused expression.  
  
On the way to the Burrow, Mr. Weasley talked exciteldly about how well this car was working besides the old car which now resided in the Forbidden Forest.  
  
When they arrived they scattered a few dozen chickens in their wake and proceeded through the front door.  
  
"Why didn't Ginny come?" Harry asked now remembering the letter.  
  
"Oh, she was to busy talking to Dean Thomas on that telephony thing," Ron said rolling his eyes. "What does she see in him anyway?," said Ron and Harry together.  
  
"Hey, how did you - ," Ron started to ask.  
  
"Well you always say that," Harry said. "If we were in a movie it would be your catch phrase."  
  
"Whats a movie?" Ron asked curiously.  
  
After Harry had explained what a movie was, Ron was impressed.  
  
"Muggles actually can do a few good things," he said.  
  
"Exactly," Mr. Weasly said beaming at Ron, it seemed he had been listening in on what Harry had been saying.  
  
Then Harry turned around and looked at the Burrow and did a double take. It was looking brand new and was painted completely in a new coat of the colour cream.  
  
"Oh come in, and thank you Harry," said a beaming Mrs Weasley. "Thank you for giving Fred and George all that money."  
  
"No problem," said Harry surprised.  
  
"Not one 'thank you' to us," said Fred.  
  
"I suppose the ideas just thought themselves up, did they?" George added.  
  
Mrs Weasley ignored the twins as usual and was about to continue talking to Harry.  
  
"I think Harry might like to unpack his stuff, mum," Ron pointed out.  
  
"Oh yes, of course!" Mrs Weasley said. "Just follow Ron. Harry, dear."  
  
Together they hauled Hedwig and Harry's trunk up the staircase. On the way to Ron's room they saw Ginny talking on the telephone and Hermione also in Ginny's room writing to her pen pal Viktor Krum. Who had been an International Quidditch player for Bulgaria.("Those two!" Ron said.) They finally reached Ron's room and layed down to rest Harry's trunk.  
  
"So the Cannons are finally winning some games?" Harry asked grinning.  
  
"Well there never was any doubt was there?" Ron said eagerly.  
  
"Yeah, right," Harry said grinning even more. "I think I'm going for Puddlemere to win this season."  
  
"Yeah, glad to see you're not jumping on the bandwagon of --," Ron said interupted from two loud pops.  
  
CRACK! CRACK!  
  
"So you two, what have you two been talking about?" Fred asked.  
  
"I wish you wouldn't do that," said Ron a bit annoyed to be interrupted.  
  
"Oh we were talking about Quidditch," Harry said. "Hey, wait a sec! Aren't you two in the Order now?"  
  
"Well, yes ...," said George.  
  
"But we've been bound to secrecy by the Order ...," Fred continued.  
  
"Mostly our mother ...," George put in.  
  
"And of course we'll tell you anything you want ...," said Fred.  
  
"We crossed our fingers behind our backs," George added.  
  
"So what do you want to know?" Fed asked.  
  
"Whats Voldy been doing lately?" Ron said reading Harry's mind.  
  
"Well it looks like he's acting pretty stealthfully, he seams to be looking for a weapon ... The Torch of Flames ...," George said.  
  
"Imagine what our mother would say if she caught us...," Fred said.  
  
"They're both too young!" George said mimicking his mother.  
  
At that moment Mrs Weasley burst through the doors.  
  
"So, so ...," Mrs Weasley said, sounding remotely like Snape.  
  
"What is it Mum?" Fred said.  
  
"Are you choking," George said.  
  
"Or has a cat got your tongue?" Fred then said.  
  
"Wonder where he'd keep it, the cat you know ...," George  
  
"Yeah, lets go down stairs and think about it," Fred put in.  
  
They tryed to pass their mother but she pinched their ears and swung them painfully both so they would be both next to her.  
  
"How could you tell Harry about the Torch, at least I stopped you telling him more!" Mrs Weasley shouted. "They're both too young!"  
  
"You know Mum, Harry fought Voldemort face to face 3 times at school!" Fred said.  
  
"More than us two have done," George added.  
  
"I think he deserves to know something," Fred said.  
  
At this moment Harry truly appreciated having the twins as his friends and gave them a big grin.  
  
"I don't care!" Mrs Weasley said. "They're not in the Order! I'm going to Dumbledore with this. You two should be kicked out of the Order for this."  
  
Harry's grin disappeared. A horrified, stunned silence followed.  
  
"No mum!" George said.  
  
"You wouldn't!" Fred shouted.  
  
"I would!" Mrs Weasley said answering their fears.  
  
"Mrs Weasley, it was my fault, I asked them ...," Harry started.  
  
"No dear, its their fault they just didn't say no," Mrs Weasley said. "Can you give me your booklists? ... Thank You ... Now you two, we're going now!"  
  
With that Mrs Weasley apparated herself and the twins with a huge crack.  
  
Then Harry noticed Hermione and Ginny at the door. With Luna! Thats a surprise, Harry thought.  
  
"Hi Luna," Harry said.  
  
"Hello Harry," said Luna in her usual dreamy voice.  
  
Harry smirked. Somethings never changed.  
  
"Hem hem," Ginny said.  
  
Harry, Hermione and Ron all flinched. While even Luna gave a small shudder.  
  
"Just getting some attention," Ginny said smiling.  
  
"Hello Ginny," Harry said admiringly. "You too Hermione."  
  
Hermione merely nodded.  
  
"Looks like a lot of the gang is here," Hermione said. "I need to talk to Harry and Ron alone."  
  
"OK, we'll be in Ginny's room," Luna said steering Ginny away who looked mutinous.  
  
Hermione shut the door after puting a spell on it making sure any extendable ears could listen in.  
  
"Well what is it?" asked Ron.  
  
"We're going to be illegal animagus," Hermione said coolly.  
  
"Hermione..." Harry could only mutter.  
  
"I told you, she's getting crazier and crazier by the day," Ron said.  
  
She abruptly left giving Ron an angry look.  
  
"Girls," mumbled Ron.  
  
Harry laughed and took a much needed nap after Fred and George's ride.  
  
When he woke he saw Ron.  
  
"Mum just came back from Diagon Alley, she's got all our stuff,"said Ron.  
  
"Cool! By the way, how were your OWL Results?" Harry asked.  
  
"Not that bad," Ron said. "Won't become an Auror. At least I won't be seeing Snape often! I guess you're in the same boat?"  
  
"Actually, I just scraped in for potions," Harry said.  
  
"Really," said Ron a bit put out. "Well your loss, I guess. Well, goodnight."  
  
"Goodnight?" Harry asked.  
  
"I was just taking a walk downstairs to go to the loo," Ron said nonchalantly. "Two hours 'till the screaming starts ..."  
  
"What?" Harry asked again.  
  
"You'll see...," Ron answered, unusually mysteriously. "G'night."  
  
"G'night." 


End file.
